


Of Love and Trust

by Panta



Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, New Dangan Ronpa V3: Everyone's New Semester of Killing
Genre: Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Angst, Cheating, Drinking, Drunk Sex, Dubious Consent, Established Relationship, Hurt/Comfort, Implied Sexual Content, Implied/Referenced Underage Prostitution, Jealousy, M/M, Ouma not Oma, Pining, Regret, Trust Issues
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-08
Updated: 2018-09-12
Packaged: 2019-06-23 15:46:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,935
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15609642
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Panta/pseuds/Panta
Summary: Kokichi Ouma doesn’t trust others; that is a fact.He and Momota have been dating for two years, and though they’ve had their fair share of kisses and touches and intimate moments, they’ve never gone all the way. Ouma is too scared to let himself be seen that way (though he’ll never admit it), but when Momota’s birthday rolls around he decides it’s time to face his demons. He wants to let Momota have him. The man said, after all, that he would gladly wait until Ouma was ready.Turns out Kaito Momota is a god damn liar.





	1. Tryst

**Author's Note:**

> For the Discord chat; you know who you are ;P

Ouma kicked a rock down the sidewalk as he made his way home, not bothering to watch and see how far it bounced or if it hit somebody. He was far too preoccupied with emotionally preparing himself for every possible situation he could face when he got home.

Proposing sex for the first time after dating for two whole years wasn’t going to be easy for him.

_Two years..._ It’s not as though Ouma didn’t _want_ to be taken by his boyfriend- Momota was _quite_ attractive, if he did say so himself- he was just afraid. Afraid of being vulnerable, afraid that Momota would realize that sex was the only thing the supreme leader was good for. It was the only thing he had _ever_ been good for.

_Not now, don’t think about that now._ Ouma pushed the memories to the back of his mind, walking past the red sedan in the driveway to unlock the front doo-

_...Red?_

Ouma turned around to look, and beside Momota’s disgusting purple pick-up truck, there it was; the car he knew belonged to Maki Harukawa. Bile rose in his throat at the thought of _her_ spending time with _his_ Momota. That girl hated him and adored his boyfriend; nothing good could come out of her being around today.

_Well I’ll just have to go up there and throw her out, won’t I? Then I can make sure Kai-chan is mine… This body is at least good for that much._ Confident in his ability to charm and eventually seduce his boyfriend, Ouma threw the front door open, smiling wide. “Happy birthday, Kai-chan! I came home early to give you-” He surveyed their living room and kitchen, not finding any sign of the astronaut’s presence. His smile fell, and he sighed out, “a surprise…”

Brow furrowing, Ouma’s gaze searched the rest of their small home, coming to the somewhat startling conclusion that Momota must be in their bedroom.

With Harukawa.

_No, no, stop that, Kokichi. He wouldn’t do that, he told you he would wait, he_ promised _he would wait for you to-_

“Ah..K-Kaito…”

Ouma’s analytical brain fell silent, trying and failing to process what he knew he had just heard. No, no, it couldn’t be true! There had to be some sort of explanation for that sound! Something, _anything_ other than-!

“God, you feel amazing, Harumaki…”

If Ouma had to pick the single shitty moment that his heart shattered in two, it would have been the moment he heard Momota’s voice from behind that door.

Forcing back tears that threatened to fall from his lashes- god, the _one time_ he trusts somebody with his heart- Ouma pulled out his phone, sending a quick text to Saihara before pocketing the device. He cracked his knuckles, put on a face completely devoid of emotion, and slammed the bedroom door open. The knob made a fairly sizable dent in the wall, but he couldn’t have cared less about such a trivial thing.

“Well,” he said to their wide-eyed stares, pretending his voice didn’t hold the slightest quiver, “at least you had the decency to do it under the covers.” He didn’t wince at the fact that those covers were checkered patterned, a going-away gift that DICE had given him when he first left for Hope’s Peak. Nope, those blankets didn’t matter at all; Momota hadn’t ruined something he cared about! “I didn’t want to see your gross, sweaty bodies anyway.”

He stepped into the room and made his way towards the closet, snapping Momota out of his surprised trance. “Kokichi, I-”

“Ouma.”

“Huh?”

“You can call me _Ouma.”_ The shorter boy dug through the closet with a snarl, pointedly ignoring the way Momota threw clothes on as though he could salvage his dignity. He picked up a backpack, calmly placing articles of clothing into it in the most space-efficient way his rattled brain could think of. Not that it mattered, really; all of his possessions could easily fit into this backpack, because he’d grown up without a home and useful habits die hard. “Liars and _cheaters_ don’t get to use my given name.”

“Fine. Ouma, I’m sorry you had to see this, but there’s nothing between Harumaki and I! It’s just sex, nothing more.”

“I’m sorry _Momota,_ is that supposed to make me feel better? You said you had no problems with waiting.” He growled, slinging the bag over his shoulder and storming out of the room. “In fact, you _promised_ you would wait for me!” He couldn’t keep his voice from raising in both volume and pitch. “Does a ‘man’s word’ mean nothing anymore?!”

“I know, I know, but Ouma, I didn’t think I’d be waiting _years!”_

“I told you it would be a long time!”

Harukawa snorted from their bedroom doorway, now clothed as they argued in the living room. “You can’t just hold out forever, Ouma. Men have _needs.”_

“Oh, I’m so fucking sorry!” The supreme leader shouted, feeling tears build up again. “I forgot that my comfort and security were less important than your goddamn libido!”

Momota stood in front of Harukawa in a way that could be seen as protective, especially in Ouma’s flurry of emotion. “You never even gave me a _reason_ why we couldn’t do it!”

“You really wanna know? _Fine!”_ He looked his (ex?) boyfriend dead in the eyes and said, “I’m a dirty fucking whore, Kaito Momota!”

The astronaut actually took a step back, stumbling slightly as though he’d been struck. “W..What?”

“Before the Ultimate Initiative recognized my talent and started funding DICE, we had to find our own ways to make money. We stole, we conned, the older members did odd jobs...but look at me, Momota.” He bowed his head, bangs shadowing his eyes as he gestured to his body. “I’m small, and weak, and useless when it comes to actual work. One of the younger girls suggested that she and another start...prostituting, to raise our income. I couldn’t...I couldn’t let them do that! Not as a leader!”

He raised his head to face Momota, watching the pieces begin to click into place in the taller man’s mind. “So I protected them, and that was my job. I sold my body to rich men who wanted something cute and helpless to play with, no strings attached.” He held back a sob, gritting his teeth as tears rolled over his prominent cheekbones. “It hurt, and I _hated_ it, but I had to do it to keep my family off the streets. My years at Hope’s Peak were amazing, knowing DICE was safe and I wouldn’t have to stoop that low again… then we started dating, and I realized that I still just couldn’t bring myself to let my body be used.”

“Ouma...you know I wouldn’t-”

“Shut up!” The supreme leader cut him off with a fierce glare. “Let me fucking finish.”

Momota nodded.

“All this time we’ve been together, I’ve been working myself up to try and give myself to you, and today…” he hiccuped, desperately wiping away tears. “Today I was going to do it! For-for your birthday, I was willing to let you have me.”

“Oh Ouma, I’m so sorry…”

“Sorry doesn’t erase this violation of my trust, Momota. I _trusted_ you, you know how hard that is for me! And still, you- you did _this!_ I come home early to surprise you, and I find- I find you _cheating!”_

Finally, Momota fell silent, mouth opening and closing like a fish gasping for air, unable to get any words out. No one spoke for a long time.

Not until Ouma's savior arrived.

There was a knock on the door, and Saihara stepped inside. “Ouma-kun? I got your text; what’s going on..?”

Ouma didn’t hesitate in making his way over, and not even his supposedly sorry boyfriend tried to stop him. “Momota and I need some time apart.” Under his breath, he hissed “dirty goddamn cheater.”

Saihara’s eyes grew wide, flickered between Momota and Harukawa, then landed on the backpack the supreme leader was carrying. His eyes lit up in understanding, then darkened again when he looked to the astronaut. The detective simply shook his head and followed Ouma out the door.

“You can stay with me for as long as you need, Ouma-kun.”


	2. Regret

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ouma is doubtful, Saihara is jealous, and they both regret their decisions.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I originally wasn't sure if I wanted to write more of this story, but after some people I won't name decided to insult my characterizations, I figured we could use a little more depth.

By the time they pulled up to the house Saihara shared with his uncle, Ouma had silently cried every tear his diminutive body could muster. He was knelt in front of the front door, unlocking it with the spare key from beneath the mat before the detective had even turned off the car.

Once he entered his home, Saihara spotted his companion’s backpack in the foyer beside his shoes, Ouma himself having sprawled out on one of two leather couches. The boy was staring up at the ceiling, gaze empty and unfocused.

“Wine?” Saihara asked as he made his way to the kitchen, knowing the smaller man would almost certainly respond affirmatively. “I still have that sweet white one you like.”

“Only if you have those fancy chocolates, too.” Came the reply, voice dull and slightly cracked.

“Of course.” This whole thing was a tried and true routine for them, something Saihara did every time his friend needed to get away from home. They had been each other’s comfort throughout high school and university- despite Ouma’s terrible attitude shift during the former- and they still were today.

_I should’ve confessed to you back at Hope’s Peak, before Momota-kun ever came into the picture._ Saihara sighed to himself, wishing he could turn back time and give his past self the ability to handle emotions like a normal human being. But no, here he was, carrying wine glasses and chocolates over to his long-time crush whose boyfriend had just cheated on him.

_And how dare he, anyway? Because Ouma wouldn’t sleep with him, for perfectly good reason? He has enough trust issues as it is!_

_I would be so much better for you, Ouma-kun. Why can’t you see that?_

The rest of the night passed by in a buzzed, tearful, inevitably passionate haze. It started with Ouma recounting what exactly had happened earlier, manicured nails tapping the side of his glass as he took slow sips and trained his gaze on the liquid within. The detective’s mind drifted as the boy spoke, remembering the way he had always bitten his nails while concentrating.

Despite their years of friendship prior, it had been Momota who helped Ouma to break that habit. Saihara could feel jealousy flaring up and scorching his suddenly dry throat, filling his thoughts with _why? Why did his help mean so much more to you? What does he have that I don’t?_

_Is he also the reason you no longer have the confidence to look me in the eyes?_

Then came Ouma’s doubts, flooding out of his mouth like they’d been held in for years. “Is it wrong for me to want to wait? Do I not love him as much as I think I do? Does he not love me?” He paused a moment, choking back a sob. “Am I not worth waiting for?” His free hand was buried in his hair, tugging on the strands almost violently; Saihara wished he would train that violence on Momota instead of himself.

“That’s not true at all, Ouma-kun.” He assured the boy without hesitation, wanting to show how much he cared. “Momota-kun knew he would have to wait, and if he wasn’t willing to do so, he should have told you. What he did was wrong.” _What he did was absolutely terrible!_

Ouma didn’t seem to register the comfort, bowing his head in a manner that seemed almost defeated. “I don’t think I was ever a good enough boyfriend for him.”

_Where is the confident boy I met? What happened to the unshakable Kokichi Ouma?_

“You’re wrong, Ouma-kun!” Saihara’s voice came out louder than intended, startling the petite man out of his stupor. Their eyes met, the detective blushing sheepishly but remaining firm in his conviction. “You’re a perfect boyfriend. Any guy would be lucky to have you, and if Momota-kun can’t appreciate that, then he-he doesn’t deserve you, Ouma-kun!”

Ouma was silent for several long seconds before cracking the smallest of smirks. He threw back his second cup of wine, setting the glass down and staring into Saihara’s golden eyes with slightly hazy violet. “Please...call me Kokichi. We’ve known each other long enough.”

The detective returned the smile, stuttering his response in embarrassment. “Then c-call me Shu-Shuichi.”

“Shuichi.” Ouma mumbled, as though testing out the name on his tongue. “Shuichi, Shuichi, Shuichi.” He grinned, clearly pleased, and the change in his mood made Saihara equally so. “Feed me some chocolate, Shuichi!” The former leader giggled.

_It’s like back in high school, when you always pretended to flirt with me…_

He shook his head in amusement, plucking a caramel-filled truffle from the box and holding it to his companion’s pink lips.

Ouma, for all his flirtatiousness, seemed utterly surprised by the reciprocation, but parted his lips all the same. He gently sunk his teeth into the treat, careful not to bite Saihara in the process. The detective pulled his hand back, cheeks flushed and heart pounding in his chest.

_How could anybody cheat on someone so adorably sexy? His whole existence is a dream come true._

The two of them locked eyes for quite a while, stares fuzzy with alcohol and tears and something akin to lust, before _finally_ Ouma practically threw himself onto Saihara, eagerly locking their lips together.

Saihara could taste the chocolate lingering on his tongue. He shouldn’t be doing this, he knows he shouldn’t take advantage of Ouma- Ouma, whose judgment is blinded by alcohol and grief and a desperate need to feel loved- but he just can’t help it when the boy he’s wanted for so long is pressing so readily against him, so he twirls their tongues together and prays he won’t regret this.

It isn’t long before the former supreme leader has seated himself on Saihara’s lap, straddling his waist as they rocked their hips against one another, capturing soft mewls and pants in wet, open-mouthed kisses. Saihara tilted his head to suck on Ouma’s neck, hips bucking from just the _sound_ the man made in response.

The detective raised his hands to the buttons of the other’s shirt, hesitating to grasp them. “Can I…?” He trailed off, tentative even now to really use his words.

_“Please,_ Shuichi.” Ouma whined, rolling his hips in a way that made them both groan. “I want you, I want you so bad.”

“Kokichi…” Saihara’s voice rumbled, sending a shiver down the smaller man’s spine. His hands landed on Ouma’s hips, lightly running up and down his sides. The leader’s back arched, a soft moan falling from his lips as his entire body tingled with arousal. _I want you too, my love. I always have._

Everything Saihara did was gentle and soothing, dancing across Ouma’s skin like he was something fragile, priceless; the detective considered the latter to be true. They lost themselves in each other, unwilling to deny the bond they had formed and the warmth of each other’s hearts.

Like all good things, however, their feelings would soon come to pass.

* * *

 Ouma awoke to sunlight filtering through heavy curtains, the remnants of a hangover, and what he assumed was the sound of Momota doing his usual morning routine.

“Kai-chan,” he mumbled, clutching the navy blue comforter to his bare chest as his eyelids fluttered shut. “I’m _cold,_ come back to bed…”

_Blue..?_

“Ouma-kun.” The leader’s violet gaze snapped open, meeting concerned amber in an instant. Saihara was dressed, though not as stuck-up as usual, and avoiding eye contact like the plague.

“Saihara-chan?”

“I’m so sorry, Ouma-kun. I never meant for this to happen.”

“I don’t...understand.” Ouma pushed himself up into a sitting position, shifting due to a discomfort in his lower back. His jaw dropped in realization, “we..we didn’t…”

Saihara only nodded.

“You...I...no, th-there’s no way…” He pulled his knees to his chest, keeping the blanket wrapped tightly around himself.

Despite the pulsing ache in his head, Ouma shook it violently, wishing that it was just a dream, that he hadn’t betrayed Momota, that he hadn’t let Saihara take him like the little whore he was-

A despairing wail broke through his defenses, slipping between his lips like a bat out of hell. _You stupid piece of_ shit, _Kokichi!_

In that moment of vulnerability, Ouma realized something he’d been denying for a long time; he _needed_ Momota to keep himself stable, and now, without him, he was at the mercy of his own swirling emotions.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Stay tuned for more on Momota and why exactly he did what he did.


	3. Honesty

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everyone lets their feelings out, for better or for worse.

12 missed calls.

5 new voicemails.

6:58pm: _“Hey, uh, Ouma. It’s me. Shit, you know that from the ID- listen, I’m sorry, okay? It’s been a few hours now and I’m worried about you. Please come home and talk to me.”_

9:06pm: _“Ou- Kokichi, it’s getting late. Where are you? At least call me back so I know you’re safe. Give me a chance to explain myself.”_

10:42pm: _“What the actual_ fuck, _‘Kichi? Why would you call me while you and Shuichi are- and then just hang up without an explanation?! I don’t want to know what the hell you two are doing, you goddamn s-!”_

11:03pm: _“Hey, it’s me again. I’m not okay with what you’re doing, but I shouldn’t have said what I...almost did. Do you want to talk tomorrow?”_

8:27am: _“Meet me at the cafe at noon. You know the one. Bring Saihara if you have to, but we need to talk.”_

* * *

 Momota tapped his foot impatiently- nervously? Nah, he couldn’t be- the bottom of his sandal slapping against his heel. The sound put a scowl on his face.

_The slapping of skin on skin; “ah, ahh~! Shuichi feels so good inside!”_

The astronaut’s face flushed red from several different emotions, anger and embarrassment being the most prominent. He quickly ducked his head, throwing his attention into some mindless mobile game to distract himself.

Even as his thoughts wandered away from the previous night’s phone call, they only managed to land on a certain red-eyed assassin. He groaned at the memory of her words.

_“What do you even see in that imp? There’s no way he isn’t just using you, Kaito. But I love you, I always have...please, just let me have this. Just one time.”_

Then she ghosted her hand over his groin and he lost himself in animalistic impulses. He wanted to wait for Ouma, he really did, but after two years of abstinence with only the occasional handjob he’d be damned if he wasn’t easily aroused and just a tad bit angry.

But when Ouma told his story, teary-eyed and _ashamed,_ as though Momota would turn him away because of what he’d been through, the astronaut knew he’d done an irreversible level of damage.

Momota checked his watch just as the cafe door opened. 12:13pm.

“S-Sorry we’re late, Momota-k-kun,” Saihara stuttered as he slid into the booth across from the astronaut, Ouma settling in beside him. “K- Ouma-kun was a bit…” he seemed to ponder the correct word choice for a moment before deciding on “reluctant.”

“No problem.” Momota gave a thin, not-entirely-fake smile as he watched his boyfriend(?) set his backpack on the floor beneath the table. He chuckled, “it’s basically his life goal to make things as difficult as possible for other people.”

“Ah, well, he can be a bit-“

Ouma cut in sharply, _“he_ is right here and would like to get to the point, please.”

Momota scowled. “And what do you think is ‘the point’ here, Kokichi?”

“I told you not to call me that.” The former leader hissed, glaring. “The point is for you to make up some excuse and beg for me to take you back.”

“W-What he means is that-“ Saihara started after a momentary silence, but Momota interrupted him sternly.

“He wants an explanation, I know.” The astronaut rolled his eyes. “You’re not the only one who understands Kokichi, Saihara.” He felt a strange sense of pride in the way the detective withered from the comment. _But why? I shouldn’t be proud of that._

Not giving the other man a chance to refute, Momota turned his attention to the only person he’d ever fallen in love with. “Kokichi, please hear me out.

“Harumaki wanted to come over to celebrate my birthday and catch up on our lives since graduation; she’s a good friend, so I wasn’t going to deny her at least some time with me. I asked her to come over while you were working because I know you don’t get along and I didn’t want to cause you any trouble.”

“Didn’t want to cause trouble my ass,” Ouma grumbled, earning a shoulder pat from Saihara, which he promptly shrugged off.

“We were talking about our lives, so of course the topic of you and I came up. That’s when she started acting...weird.” He paused to think for a moment. “She went on this weird rant saying that you didn’t love me, that you were just using me, that _she_ would be better for me...then she started, uh, touching me, and I guess I just...gave in.” He avoided their gazes, sighing. “I was so damn pent up that I...stopped thinking. Didn’t consider what I was letting happen. I’m sorry.”

Silence fell between the three of them. A peppy waitress bounced over with her notepad ready, sensed the mood in an instant, and scurried off.

“What did I say when I called you?” Just the dead tone of Ouma’s voice chilled Momota to the core; he wouldn’t dare to meet those dulled, shadowy eyes as he struggled to process the change of subject.

“What?”

“I gathered from your third voicemail, the one where you called me a _slut,”_ Momota and Saihara both winced, “that I called you while Saihara-chan was taking advantage of me.”

“I-I wasn’t-” The detective interrupted, but Ouma didn’t care for his rebuttal.

“So what, pray tell, did I say to you?”

Momota sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose in mild aggravation. “You didn’t really _say_ anything, Kokichi. Well, not to _me.”_ Both the boys across from him blushed, one much more prominently than the other. “It was mostly you moaning and saying that you, uh, liked what Saihara was doing. I hung up pretty quickly, so I’m honestly not sure if you even _meant_ to call me.”

His tone indicated that he wanted the issue clarified, but Ouma just sighed and shook his head. “I don’t know either.”

“Wha- how don’t you know?!”

“I don’t remember any details, Momota-chan. I was _drunk.”_ The astronaut just seemed confused at that, so he continued. “Saihara-chan and I drink wine together when we’re upset; that’s our _thing._ Nothing’s ever happened because of it before, though…” He shrugged, giving off an air of nonchalance. “I only know that we went as far as we did because my back hurts and Saihara-chan told me.”

“Then how much does _he_ remember?! He probably got you drunk so he could-”

“I assure you that is most certainly _not_ the case.” Both exes’ heads swiveled to face Saihara, who slightly deflated under the pressure. “I admit I don’t remember much more than Ouma-kun does, but unlike you, I don’t really care about sex. I care about him as a person, something you never did!”

“Excuse me?!” Momota slammed his hands on the table, causing Ouma to jump. “Do you really think I stayed with him for _two years_ just for sex? For a detective, you’re pretty damn stupid, Saihara!”

The detective looked incredulous. _“Stupid?_ The only stupid one here is you, sleeping with someone else like you didn’t promise to wait for him!”

“Guys…” Ouma groaned, rolling his eyes. “You’re causing a scene.”

If either of them heard him, they didn’t acknowledge it.

Momota stood up, one hand clenched into a fist as the other jabbed a finger at Saihara. “At least I had the balls to confess! Your pathetic ass has been pining for what, six years now?!”

“Oh, that’s a low blow, Momota-kun.” Seething, Saihara stood up and squared his shoulders. “So what if I love him? At least I got to know him first! You know nothing about him!”

“Why _you-”_

“Have you even noticed how much his confidence has absolutely plummeted since you two got together?! He used to be so sure of himself, but now he’s always doubting! He comes to me wondering if you actually love him, if you’d be better off with someone else, and despite my own feelings I’ve always reassured him; yet here you are, proving his doubts right!”

“Seriously guys, sit down.” Ouma spoke a bit louder than his first attempt, but still it went right over their heads.

“Don’t act like some kind of saint, pal! You knew what he’s been through, yet you still took advantage of him being vulnerable! He put his trust in you to take care of him when I didn’t, and instead you made him do something he’s afraid of!”

“Do you really wanna bring up the topic of _trust,_ Momota-kun? I knew you were an arrogant idiot, but hypocrisy is a new low even for you!”

“Oh, you’re just looking for a fight-”

“If it’ll make you shut up, yeah-”

“You’re gonna regret sleeping with my boyfriend-”

“He’s not _your_ boyfriend, Momota-ku-”

_“Shut up!”_

Like two dogs to their master, the bickering men were immediately focused on the small one they’d been arguing about. “Sit your goddamn asses _down.”_ His tone was cold, harsh, so much so that they didn’t hesitate to follow his command.

Even when he spoke in a relatively quiet voice, anyone could tell that he radiated lividity. “What the hell do you two think you’re _doing,_ causing a scene in a place like this? Acting like blood-sworn enemies? Fighting over me like I’m not even _here?”_ His lips formed a scowl, any sign of the childishly adorable leader gone without a trace. “How fucking _dare_ you objectify me like I’m some kind of commodity to wrap your greedy little mitts around?”

“Ouma-kun, I’m-”

“Kokichi, you know we weren’t-”

He raised a hand, effectively silencing both of them. “Don’t. Just _don’t._ The only thing I wanted to do was have a civilized conversation, not,” he gestured between the two of them, _“this.”_

“I mean, it’s not really about _us…_ ” Saihara rubbed the back of his neck, blushing.

“Yeah!” Momota jumped in, surprising both of the other men. “Just choose one of us, and then this’ll all be done and over with!”

Ouma hesitated. “Choose…?”

“I guess that’s what this boils down to, isn’t it?” Saihara asked tentatively. “Unless, of course, you want both of us…”

Silence fell once again.

“Shit,” Momota cleared his throat, trading a glance with the detective across from him. “I’d be down for it, if it made Kokichi happy…”

Their continuing conversation faded into the background of Ouma’s thoughts as his mind focused on a possible future with both of these idiots by his side.

Curling up between them each night, waking up surrounded by warmth…

Receiving a kiss on each cheek before leaving for work, always coming home to at least one of them there…

Two people to love him, two people to care for him…

He looked up at them both, grinned, and said two words.

_“I refuse.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bet you weren't expecting that, huh?  
> Just the epilogue is left, my darlings~


	4. Solace

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Accepted endings and new beginnings.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To those who, for any reason, had a problem with this fic or its characterizations,  
> It would behoove you to read the end notes.

Kokichi Ouma sat behind a wide ebony desk, the cushioned swivel chair twisting back and forth as he buried his nose in a newspaper. “Hey, look at this.” He called out the moment his office’s door opened, not bothering to look up at the visitor; he knew who it was from the complete silence that shrouded her movements. “We made the front page again!”

“For the orphanage bust?” His business partner asked. The short man grinned.

“What else?” He folded the newspaper and laid it on his desk, smiling enthusiastically at the dark-haired woman across from him. “They won’t be putting anymore kids through that hell. Not while DICE is still standing!”

The woman chuckled quietly. “That’s good; that’s really good. But did you really have to use your old organization’s name?”

“You know you love it, Haru-chan! But we’re partners, so if you want to change it…” He trailed off.

Maki Harukawa reached over the desk and ruffled Ouma’s hair. “Shut up, brat. What better name for a group of clowns?”

“Hey, we only dress like that in court! And you’re one of us now, Haru-chan.”

She smirked, “I have no idea what you are referring to.” Before the other entrepreneur could continue their friendly banter, Harukawa slid an envelope across his desk. “You should see this.”

“Oh? What is…” As his eyes scanned the glossy, overly fancy envelope in his hands, they landed on the name  _ Momota. _ He frowned. “I thought I told you not to give me anything from either of  _ them.” _

The former assassin rolled her eyes, “it’s not him professing his love or anything; I got one too. Just open it.”

Ouma eyed her warily before grabbing a letter opener from where it casually sat on his desk, twirling it around his fingers a few times, and cleanly slicing open the envelope. Seeing his partner’s nonplussed glare, he pouted. “You have no appreciation for theatrics!” He then pulled out the card, eyes widening as he read it. “This is…”

The former supreme leader burst out laughing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is it. The end of a very bumpy road. I'm sorry it was so short, but it didn't feel right to add anything else. Time has passed, Maki and Kokichi formed a friendship in support of a common cause, and Kaito and Shuichi have a happy life together. There is still hurt, and nobody truly forgot what happened, but they moved past it.
> 
> Now to defend myself.
> 
> To those who say Kaito is OOC: Kaito is a physical, impulsive person, in relationships or otherwise, and libido is a powerful motivator. He hadn't had sex despite two years of intimacy and wasn't even given a reason why; this caused doubts about his relationship with Kokichi. Then someone he's close to, someone he trusts, offered him something he wanted, and he took it. He's not a bad person, but he's human, he did a bad thing. I've seen some comments saying that "Kaito wouldn't make excuses; he'd own up and apologize" and I'm not really sure where you think he's making excuses. Yes, when Kokichi first finds them, he's desperate to stop Kokichi from leaving so he blurts out that it's just meaningless sex. But, as evidenced by the voicemails and the explanation he gives Kokichi at the cafe, he knows what he's done is wrong and he does apologize for it.
> 
> To those who say Shuichi is OOC: This is set years after they graduate from high school, so they're all around 22 or 23 years old. Shuichi has gone through his character development and gained confidence in himself; he's a grown adult, not a dithering child. This, coupled with the fact that he has years of repressed emotions associated with Kokichi, would absolutely result in an outburst like we see in the cafe, especially considering the anger he feels towards Kaito and the additional guilt from having sex with Kokichi. Shuichi does not think what he did was right, but he does think what Kaito did was worse.
> 
> To those who say Maki raped Kaito: No, no she didn't. She asked him for sex, and he accepted. Maki wouldn't hurt Kaito; if he had refused her offer, she would've backed off. He did. Not. Refuse. His consent is dubious at worst. Maki and Kaito are both in the wrong here.
> 
> To those who say Shuichi raped Kokichi: Dubious consent applies to both parties here. Although only Kokichi was explicitly described as drinking, Shuichi was doing the same. They were both drunk and struggling with emotions and they needed an outlet. They both should've been more careful.
> 
> To those who say Kaito and Shuichi wouldn't agree to the threeway like that: You are absolutely right; they wouldn't. That's not what happened here. They weren't agreeing to love each other, they were agreeing to share Kokichi. Neither of them thinks what they did is right, but they each think what the other did is worse. They each want Kokichi to themselves so they can supposedly keep him from being hurt by the other, but in treating him like a possession they end up driving him away.
> 
> If you have any claims to make or questions to ask, about these topics or others, I will not hesitate to answer, provided your comment is respectful. Thank you for reading.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to @rev_eerie for the ideas for Ouma's past! I love you <3


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